Pre-Open Classic tees off

ZIMBABWEAN golf has a very rich history of golfing families and one has to look no further than the Price family which produced local golf legends like former world number one Nick and his late brother Tim.

REPORT BY DANIEL NHAKANISO

The trend has continued to grow in recent years as evidenced by the number of families who will tee off in the $10 000 Pre-Open Classic at Royal Harare Golf Club today. No less than three golfing families will be part of the 52-member field in the 36-hole event which has been organised by the Zimbabwe Open Golf Committee to ensure local golfers get adequate preparation ahead of the prestigious Golden Pilsener Zimbabwe Open set for April 18-21 at the same venue.

Leading the cast of local families in the tournament will be the father and son duo of Day and Nyasha Muyambo. The 52-year-old Day, the highly regarded former Zimbabwe Professional Golfers Association president, turned back the hands of time to win the Golden Pilsener Harare Open at Chapman Golf Club in November last year.

His son Nyasha, a former top amateur golfer, has also been a consistent performer on the Zambezi Tour since turning professional at the start of the 2011 season.

The other local golfing family to recently emerge on the local golfing scene is the Katembenuka brothers namely Anyway and Mairos and their uncle Simon.

The Zvishavane-based trio have all entered the Pre-Open Classic with the hope of doing well at the Zimbabwe Open. Another family which has also been slowly making inroads and maintaining the tradition of local golfing family siblings are brothers Mohammed and Kayman Mandhu.

Mohammed, an upcoming professional golfer, has been a regular feature on the local professional circuit and has also been battling to earn his tour card on the Sunshine Tour in South Africa.

His younger brother Kayman, who was last year was crowned the Royal Harare Club champion after a convincing win, will be making his professional debut during the Pre-Open Classic.

Away from the local golf families, some of the players to look out for at the Open Classic include Ryan Cairns, Zimbabwe’s leading player on the Sunshine Tour, Tongo Charamba, Robson Saurombe, Ignatius Mketekete and Brian Gondo who enjoyed a successful season last year.

Foreign players in the 48-member professional field include Johwa Trevor from Botswana and the South Africa pair of Irvin Mazibuko and TJ Bekker.